Air cleaner



May 24, 1932.

H. E. A LTGELT AIR CLEANER Filed May 13,19

Patented May 2 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mm E. ALTGEL'I', OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB T OLIVER FAB! Edm- MENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OI ELAWABE AIR cLEEmm Application filed. Kay 13,

The present invention relates to an air cleaner and more particularly to the construction of adevice which will maintain the liquid in the air cleaner relatively clean by co looting and separating the solid deposits from the liquid.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of an air cleaner for internal combustion engines which collects and separates the solid dust and dirt deposits from the liquid within the cleaner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of an air cleaning device for internal combustion engines in which a means is provided thereon for collecting the solid particles, which are separated from the liquid in the air cleaner container, and particularly, an arrangement which permits the removal of the deposits from the drain pipe of the cleaner container with t ease and facility.

These and otliErobjects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referrin to the drawings, Fig.1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of aninternal combustion engine of a tractor showing my improved air cleaner mounted therein.

ig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hood of the tractor shown in Fig. 1, showing the manner in which my improved air cleaner is mounted therein.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on the lines 33 in Fig. 2. a

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the cleaner rod and cap which is adapted to be mounted on the drain spout of the air cleaner proper.

The present invention is directed to an improvement on ,the air cleaning device described and claimed in my copending application, Serial Number 254,665, filed February 1928. l'n illustrating one embodiment of my invention,I have shown the same in connection 1929. Serial No. 882,492.

with a fragmentary portion of a tractor character 10, a radiator 11, engine fan 12, fuel tank 13 and hood 14. The hood 14 extends from the top of the radiator rearwardly and is supported at the rear end thereof at a oint adjacent and above the fuel tank 13. ociated with the engine is a conventional form of carburetor 15 which has a conduit 16 which connects it with m improved air cleaner generally indicated y the reference character 17. My improved air cleaner comprises a cylindrical housing as indicated at 18, the upper portion of which is provided with a flange 19 which is welded or otherwise secured to the lower side of the hood 14. so as to form an air tight connection, the hood forming in effect, the top of the air cleaner container. Formed on the front side of the cylindrical wall 18 of the container and adj acent the flange 19 are three slotted apertures 20 through which the air enters. cured to the cylindrical wall and adjacent the lower edge thereof, is a disc-shaped member 21 which forms the bottom of a cleaner container. This bottom is preferably constructed so that it inclines to one side thereof or has its lower portion on one side thereof, as indicated at will drain to this lowermost position. Connected at this lowermost osition is a drain pipe or drain tube 23 whic in a sense, may be called a sediment reservoir or collector. This reservoir is preferably though not necessarily, conical in shape and has its lower end threaded, as shown at 24.

Mounted in the bottom 21 of the cleaner and slightly spaced therefrom, is a. course wire mesh 25. Positioned transversely across forming substantially a segment of the circle with the circular wall of the cleaner is a division wall or member 26 which has its opposite ends secured to the inner side of the wall 18 of the container, as shown at 27. This wall extends from the top of the coarse wire mesh to the top of the hood ltwhere it is secured to the under side thereof, as shown at 28 in any'well known manner. (See Fig. 3.) Extending through the wall 26 adjacent the 22 so that the liquids therein cap 38 5 formed lower edge thereof, are a plurality of apertures 29. Extending'through the bottom' 21 of the cleaner and wire mesh 25 is a tube or conduit 30 which is connected to the. conduit 5 16 forming the connection between the cleaner proper, and the carburetor 15. The upper end of this tube extends through an aperture 31 formed in the hood 14 and terminates as shown at 32, at a point slightly above the top of the hood. Arranged concentrically about the up r end of the tube 30 and extending throng the hood 14 are a plurality of apertures 33 through which the air passes in' its course of travel into the up er end of the tube 30 in the manner indicate by the arrows in Fig. 3. Surrounding the upper end of the tube 30 and embracing the apertures 33 in the hood is a dome 34- which is secured by means of a flange 35 to the upper surface of the hood 14. Mounted on top of the wire mesh and between the wall 26, as shown at 36, is an air cleaning fibrous material such as sisal, hemp, hair or steel wool. Removably mounted in the hood, as, shown at 37 is a threaded cap through which the fibrous cleaning material 36 may be removed or inserted.

The essential feature of the present invention consists in the novel construction of a sediment reservoir which is-of sufiicient size to hold a considerable amount ofresidue collected from the operation of cleaning the air prior to its pmage into the carburetor. The

constant motion of the tractor causes the liquid or oilin the aircleaner (which is at a height 'in the bottonrof the cleaner level with the upper surface of the wire mesh) to splash and constantly wash the dust and dirt particles out of the fiber. This residue of dust and dirt particles collects and settles in the residue a reservoir-or drain tube 23. This reservoir or tube as reviously'described, is provided with -a threa ed portion 24 which has mounted in threaded engagementv therewith, a threaded having a tool, engaging ortion 39 integrally therewith. S cured to the inner portion of the cap and preferably in the axial center thereof, is a rod 40, to the inner end of which isconnected a cleaner disc 41 in any well known manner. From the 5 above it will be noted that by the action or motion of the moving tractor, the dirt and dust particles which, beingheavier than the liquid in the container, settle in the lower.-

most art of the" air cleaner and eventually,

find t eir way in the reservoir or drain tube 23. The sediment thus collected in this reservoir becomes thick and in many instances 4 cakes or hardens and under ordinary conditions is diflicult to remove. By the provision of the rod 40 and scraper 41 located on the inner end of the rod, the cap '38 may be unscrewed and-removed during which opera- Aion the sediment may be completely scraped from theTfeservoirb the disc 41, per- .05 the liquid to bequicily drained without any loss of time on the part of the operator.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will of course, be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope .ofmy invention as expressed in the followa in claims.

at I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. The combination with an air cleaner having a liquid therein, of a sediment reservoir positioned below for draining and collecting deposits from said cleaner, the reservoir having means therein for scraping deposits from said reservoir.

2. The combination with an air cleaner comprising a container having a liquid therein, of a sediment reservoir positioned below and connected to said container, a drain cap connected with said reservoir having means thereon for cleaning said reservoir,

3. An air cleaner having liquid therein comprising a container havixig an inclined bottom, a sediment reservoir connected with the lowermost portion of said bottom, a removable cap connected to said reservoir for draining the liquid therethrou h and means connected with said cap exten ing into said 'reservoir for cleaning the sediment from said reservoir. 1

-4. An air cleaner having liquid therein comprising a/casing, having an mclined bottom, a-sediment reservoir connected with the lowermost part of said inclined bottom, a

removable drain cap connected to the lower end of said reservoir, a rod connected in said r cap and mearfs connected with the upper end of said rod whereby the sediment may be scraped from said reservoir in the operation of removing said cap.

5. An air cleaner having li uid therein comprising a casing, an incline bottom 9e- .cured to said casing, a drain tube secured to the lowermost portion of said inclined casing in which the sediment from the air cleaner 'may be collected therein and removable means connected to the lower end of said tube whereby the sediment'may be scraped from within said tube and the liquid drained from pressed portion-therein, a sediment reser,

voir connected with the depressed portion of said bottom and scraping means connected to the bottom of 'saidreservoir whereby the sediment in said reservoir and liquid in said casing may be taken therefrom.

7 An air cleaner having liquid therein comprising a casin a bottom secured to said casing having a e ressed portion therein, aninclined drain tu 'be connected to said do pressed portion, a removable cap secured to the lower end of said tube, a rod connected to said cap and extending into said tube and -a scraper member connected adjacent the upper end of said rod for scraping the sediment from said tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 9th day of May, A; D. 1929.

HERMAN E. ALTGELT. 

